


Points of Honor

by misura



Category: Dragaera - Steven Brust
Genre: Book: Taltos, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-12-17
Updated: 2006-12-17
Packaged: 2017-11-05 13:11:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,854
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/406774
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/misura/pseuds/misura
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Aliera adapts slowly to her new life.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Points of Honor

The first time Aliera gets into an argument with her cousin, it's about something silly and pointless. Of course, most of their fights are about silly and pointless things; if they'd ever fight about something important and essential, Aliera'd have to move out of her rooms at Castle Black and go live on her own, in some e'Kieron-castle that hasn't yet been given away to some other family, for lack of claimants, and on which she'd probably need to spend a small fortune before she could actually call it 'home' and invite anyone else to come visit her there. Aliera has realized this very early on, almost the moment she heard Morrolan say she'd be living with him ('of course' his tone said), and she's been careful of what to argue with him about ever since. Still, she hadn't expected their first argument to come so soon after their return from the Paths of the Dead, or at the end of a party he's given in her honor.

It's not the first party she's attended at Castle Black - Morrolan doesn't seem to need any reason at all to throw a party, only to cancel one, such as when someone important has died, and that happens so rarely that Aliera hears it's been forty-seven years since there wasn't a party going on at Castle Black. It makes her reconsider the first impression she got of her cousin. The person she met in the Paths of the Dead, who was willing to stay there, just so she could go back, doesn't seem to have much in common with the party-throwing Court Wizard who meticulously follows fashion and has set down rules to protect his guests against permanently dying in a duel.

Aliera isn't sure what she thinks of revivification-spells, really. They're useful, only she can't help but feel that they're a form of cheating. What's the point of killing someone for doubting your honor, if you're only going to bring him back to life, so that he can insult you some more? Morrolan tries to explain to her that it's not about dying and killing; it's about winning and losing, and gaining honor by being the best, but Aliera's not buying it. She allows Sethra to teach her the revivification-spells, and Morrolan looks a little hurt when she gets back, but she doesn't say anything about it, and he doesn't either.

It's how they keep the peace between them, those first weeks: by not saying anything to each other, when they know the other doesn't agree with something they've done. In later days, when they've gotten a bit more used to each other, they'll speak their minds all the time, but right now, Aliera's making an effort to be a good guest, and Morrolan's still a little awed by her (Aliera doesn't quite know why, but she supposes it's because she used to be sort of dead, and that's sort of ironic, considering how many people Morrolan must know who've died and been revivified).

Then the Dragon Council finally says that yes, Aliera is the rightful Dragon Heir, because she's the daughter of Adron e'Kieron, although they don't mention her father's name, just say that her descent has made them reach this decision. She wonders if they actually know who her mother was.

Morrolan congratulates her very formally, polite enough not to gloat, although Aliera can tell he's relieved that he's not the Heir anymore. She doesn't tell him she's already pressed Sethra into helping her go over all the bloodlines of the House of the Dragon, to find a more suitable person to be Heir.

She finds the dress he's ordered made for her when she returns to her rooms that afternoon, with a note informing her of the party, and requesting her to accept the dress as a gift, and wear it. She's slightly surprised and a little amused to see the dress isn't as black as the clothes Morrolan (and Sethra) usually wear; it's a light blue that matches her eyes when she's in a good mood. Fashion demands for dresses to reach to the ankle, but this one's long, allowing her to levitate and appear taller than she is without it showing. It's a thoughtful, pretty gift, and she suspects Teldra had more to do with it than Morrolan, but naturally she doesn't say that to him when she sees him that evening, he all in black with Blackwand strapped to his back like it's part of his costume, and she in the dress he gave her, wearing a sword she's borrowed from his armory, because Kieron's greatsword didn't seem to match the dress.

Morrolan tells her she looks beautiful, and thanks her for doing him the honor of accepting his gift. Aliera, in return, tells him the food is delicious, and thanks him for giving her the dress. She hasn't, in fact, tasted the food, but that doesn't really matter. They're just being polite.

After another empty compliment, Morrolan leaves her to talk to Teldra about one thing or another. Aliera assumes it's something important, because in her opinion, Morrolan's less than polite in not introducing her to any of his guests, and just leaving her standing here. Possibly though, that's just because her concept of politeness is as outdated as her concept of honor.

She tries to mingle, and instead soon finds herself surrounded by a group of admirers, all young and all male, hanging on her every word and flushing with pleasure if she happens to look at them, or address them directly. She doesn't really know what to talk about, really, but they don't seem to mind. She thinks she could have talked about anything at all, and they'd still have looked at her in the same way.

It's reassuringly familiar, in a way. They praise her beauty, not like Morrolan has done, out of a sense of duty and obligation, with words that have been used to describe hundreds of women, but with sincerity and eyes that burn with passion. Some of them even quote the lines famous poets have written about her, over five-hundred years ago. Aliera allows them to fetch her wine and food, and one or two of them to touch her hand as she accepts their offerings.

She hardly sees Morrolan at all, who's probably busy playing host to the guests at the party that could have been Aliera's, had she chosen to claim it as such, for all that it takes place in Morrolan's home, with Morrolan's signature on the invitations. Aliera chooses not to, content to simply sit down and be adored. The wine is as good as the food, although she's come to expect that already. The company is entertaining, if hardly stimulating. That, too, she has expected.

Of all the people at the party, she suspects that Morrolan is the only one capable of carrying on a conversation with her about something more interesting than the weather, or the latest court-gossip, or fashion, or politics. And even Morrolan can't follow her all the time, unfamiliar with some authors she knows by heart, and quoting works at her that she's never even heard of. She's tried to read up, but it's hard to do so without someone to explain things to her, to tell her why the author doesn't mention this or that procedure, or skips this or that part of the story. Morrolan's always willing to help, but he's often busy, and she doesn't want to be a burden to him. That'd be rude and ill-mannered, if, perhaps, not quite as rude and ill-mannered as not making sure she's entertained during her own party.

It's either very late, or very early when the last of the guests depart to either their home or their rooms, depending on their importance and their connection to Morrolan. Aliera hasn't yet figured out why a baronet receives a guestroom, while a count is offered a teleport home, but she's sure her cousin has got some sort of reason for it. She's less sure if Morrolan's reasons would make sense to her, so when she spots him walking her way, looking a little tired and worn out, she resolves not to bring the subject up. She'll just tell him she had a good time, and then they can both go to bed and get some sleep.

'You seem to have been enjoying yourself,' Morrolan says, sounding like she's fifty years old, and has gotten her dress crumpled and dirty, and after he's told her not to.

'I had a good time,' Aliera says, because it's what she intended to say, and she's not sure what else to say. Morrolan seems annoyed with her, which is a pity, but unless he tells her why, she can't really decide how to react, let alone defend herself.

'Yes,' Morrolan says, like she's just confessed to a crime. 'That much was obvious.'

Aliera realizes then that Morrolan actually isn't very observant, which explains several things, although it excuses none of them, because the fault is Morrolan's, and he should be aware of it.

'If you didn't like the company I kept, you could have introduced me to some people whom you considered more appropriate,' Aliera says, disliking the way he seems to expect her to behave in a certain way without giving her any hints or explanations. She doesn't add that the young men were all invited by Morrolan. She knows he invited them for his own reasons, not for her.

'You didn't ask me to,' Morrolan says, and that really is unfair.

'You didn't offer,' Aliera shoots back, determined to win this battle, even if she's going to lose this war.

Morrolan looks like he might continue this game of accusation and counter-accusation, but then Teldra comes in, looking more awake than either of them, so instead, he just says: 'I'm offering now. I'll introduce you to some members of the House of the Dragon tomorrow morning'.

If it hadn't been for Teldra, Aliera might have asked whether he means this morning, or the next one, simply because he's left her that opening. Since Teldra is present, and hearing them even if she'd never listen in on them, being who she is, Aliera thanks Morrolan for his offer and wishes him a good night.

She goes riding with one of her admirers from the night before the next morning, letting him tell her stories about the East and the Empress and the restaurant called Valabar's. When she gets back, her dress is a little rumpled and dirty, and Morrolan is waiting for her, accusing her with his eyes, silently.

Aliera ignores him, as is her right, and that evening, over dinner, they talk about whether or not the Empire should move Eastwards, and if yes, how far. 

'I had a good time today,' Aliera says, while they're sipping klava, and Morrolan gives her a look, then mentions a few authors and books to her that deal with the East, and the battles that have taken place between Easterners and humans in the time that she was gone.


End file.
